Very worried about chin in stasis - Balance issues?

Hello,
I posted a thread the other day about a brand new chin that I was worried about, here is the thread: http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23519

Last night he ate well, did well during activity time, and started pooping. All signs startiing to look better. He did well as I checked im through the night.

This morning, he is walking funny and has no balance at all. He keeps his head tilted to the right with that ear down and if I put him down, he keeps falling over while trying to walk - appears very drunk! If I hold him, he falls out of my arms or turns in circles in my arms, always leading with that right ear and head turn.

He ate CC for me, about 5cc's but no improvement. I have him on an ice pack in case it is heat related. It is warmer here than it has been but the chin room is at 66 which isn't much warmer than usual.

I am beginning to think that this is not stasis but something else. I tried a couple of searches but couldn't come up with anything - does anyone have any ideas?

This can happen in stasis - probably due to them being in immense pain.

We had a female that would lay on the bottom of the cage weird, then started stretching and rolling, then could not keep her head up or body straight. We took her to the vet, but she died after they started giving her fluids.

It could be something else, perhaps an ear infection, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is due to the stasis.
Has there been any pooping?

He started pooping last night, when I went to give him his last feeding of the night there was a pile of 8-10 poo's under him. He pooped an additional 5 times on me while I was feeding him. While they were still on the small side and hardened, there was some moisture in them which was an improvement over the past couple of days (both amount and consistency).

He was great last night - I thought he was getting better but he faked me out. I am taking him in to the vet right now, they don't have an appt until 10 am but said if I dropped him off now the vet might be able to see him sooner.

How do you know when to say when...he was supposed to be the foundation chin for my line of PW's...I am so sad and attached already!

Well the fact that he is pooping is a good sign. Our female wasn't, she truly bloated - swelled up like a balloon.

Knowing when to say when, is entirely a personal decision. It's a hard one to make, but you have to think of the animals needs before your own.

The stasis IMO has advanced and its possible part of the digestive tract is dying. I would have the vet do a ultrasound of the digestive tract to make sure all of it is working. The spark of activity then the crash and complete lethargy are symptoms of advanced stasis.

I'm so sorry you're going through this, hope your chin pulls through!

He is with Dr. Jeff right now. I just got a call from him, says that head tilt and walking in circles is never good (which I already know as a nurse). Says it could be an inner ear infection or neurological. He is convinced that it has nothing to do with the stasis as he is producing some poop right now. This report was after a quick check, he is fitting him in between other patients already scheduled. He will give what he called a "14 day shot" to start to treat for inner ear and call me back with an update later if he finds anything else.

I just hope the Vet or someone at the vets will give him a feeding since you do still have a stasis battle to get through on top of the ear infection.

Good luck.

Is the 14 day shot he's giving him Covenia? He gave Lily a 14 day shot of Covenia after her filing. I was discussing Lily's entire situation with Angie (a well known chin vet who is often consulted by forum members) and she commented about the Covenia in part of her response:

"here is my 2 cents, for what it is worth - there have been no studies on the use of Convenia in exotic species, therefore, I would never use it because we don't know if it even works"

I know there are other 'big gun' antibiotics that are more common with chinchillas. While they have to be administered every day we know the results of using them.I just thought I'd share that with you for what it's worth. Maybe dr. jeff has new research about covenia that says differently?

Update: I dropped the chin off at the vet this morning because they did not have any appt times available until late today. Within minutes of arriving home I got a call from DR. W and he was not optimistic about the head tilt and stumbling in circles. He said that it was probably totally unrelated to the stasis and again declined to give pain meds or motility drugs. Said it could be inner ear or pasteurella - which of course doesn't make any sense because he has absolutely no s/s of pasteurella. Wanted to give him a "14 day shot" called Covenia in case it was an inner ear infection. I asked him to do a doppler study of the GI tract and he said that he did not have an ultrasound technician nor did he think it was relevant. He had another patient and said he would call back. He called back about 1 1/2 hrs later and I was on my way to Columbus to pick up my son for Spring Break. He said that they had kept an eye on my little guy and that he had eaten 8 cc of CC. I informed him that I was having no problem getting him to eat CC, my concern was the drastic head tilt and total lack of balance. He informed me at this point that he was starting him on papaya juice??? for his GI tract and that his vet tech would be taking him home to watch overnight. My phone then went dead - terrible timing. When I got home, I called him back and the only person in the office was the receptionist. She informed me that the vet tech had indeed taken him home. I asked for a phone number where she could be reached and was informed that the vet tech would be calling Dr. W at home tonight and he would "probably" call me later with an update. I am so sad and confused because I do not know what is wrong with my chin, I am afraid he will die and I won't get the chance to say goodbye and I have no idea where he is. I know I have only had him for a couple of days but my daughter and I are already so attached. I do not know whether to trust this vet or not. Several forum members have recommended him but he brushes off everything I ask and suggest. He says he doesn't want to give metacam because the chin isn't in pain (even though all he does is whimper and gring his teeth) and metacam would be used off label for that and he doesn't recommend it. He also doesn't want to use motility drugs. What do you do when you can't get the meds yourself and you can't get a vet to give them and then the vet holds your chinchilla hostage??? I know I am rambling but I just feel helpless right now.

I think I would be having a stroke if I was in your shoes, No frickin way would I want the chin to be stressed out by going home with a tech to heck knows what, does that person have dogs, cats, kids, babies, and who knows if they have ever hand fed a chinchilla but no way no how would that chin go. The vet is acting like the chin is a pet rock that has no feelings, I mean REALLY what frickin skin is it off the vets back to charge you for METECAM and give it???? GEEESH I am p.oed and its not even MY CHIN!!!!!

Wow Dawn...I guess I am glad that you are PO'd for me because I think that I am just too overwhelmed/sad to feel much except helpless! I am getting conflicting opinions on this vet and I have yet to decide if he is as experienced with chins as he lets people believe. of course I am upset right now so I guess I shouldn't rush to judge...if the chin pulls through, I will probably think he is the next best thing to sliced bread!!!

It was my guess that she would be doing something that I couldn't (but I am a nurse and I can't imgine there is much I couldn't be taught quickly) but she just called me and all they are doing for him is feeding him CC and giving papaya juice. I am not sure about the papaya juice as I have never heard of that being given before but don't see why i couldn't do that.

I am glad that i got to talk to her because she at least seems competent and she is the one that was in the office when I was there the other day. she gave CC in front of me so I at least know that she is competent at that. She is planning on taking him back to the office tomorrow and I will be there waiting to pick him up and decide next steps - if he is still alive!

Report from her was that he is eating CC, hay and water, taking the papaya but doesn't like it (don't blame him). Activity level is good but still has head tilt with right ear, plastered down and stumbling in circles. She said she was about to call the vet and he would then call me.

I don't do papaya juice, I don't believe the sugar given to a chin in stasis is a good idea regardless of "benefit" of the possible enzyme working on the "mass". I don't understand what she could do that you can't and he could be at home in his own cage.

I feel so bad for you Juanita, how is Emma taking it?

Dawn - I am still waiting on a call from the vet to ask him that same question - after all he has already been flown on a plane from CA to MO, sat at a show for two days before I picked him up and then driven in a car for 10 1/2 hours to a new home and new environment. Add to that he was sick right away and now in an even different environment. If he makes it, I will have to give him a prize fighters name! Right now we call him "Whimper".

Cheryl - Emma is taking it like you would think an 11 year old girl would take it. Before she went to school this morning she had to kiss and hug him goodbye not knowing if she would see him again - of course she cried and I felt terrible sending her to school with that on her mind all day. As soon as she got home she looked in his cage and saw that he was not here - more tears! When I got home from Columbus I updated her and like any little girl she thinks he is going to be okay because he is eating. I try to be realistic with her without crushing her hopes. It is going to be a long night!

Any word from the vet, yet???

No report and it is 1:30 am here right now so don't expect to hear from him at this point. I will be at the clinic tomorrow when it opens, not sure why he didn't call as vet tech said he would???

My thoughts are with you and your chin EMSChins. I hope he pulls through. I'm just posting to let you know that papaya is not as scary as it sounds. I was like you when my vet recommended papaya for my Kelly, but it turned out that papaya was the thing that saved her life. Of course, Kelly's condition might be very different from your chin's so while it might be the best thing for her, it might not be for yours.

However, I don't agree with the vet getting the tech to take your chin home without even asking your permission. I hope you get your chin back soon, and get her a second opinion if you're uncomfortable with this particular vet.

Wow I'm so sorry you are going through this It's so easy to get attached to these guys so you have every right to feel how you feel right now. I wish I had some advice for you, but I don't. Just know that you and Whimper are in my thoughts and I really hope this vet steps up his game and fixes the little guy or at least puts him out of his misery before it gets worse. *lots of hugs for you and your family*

Any news?